I find myself muttering this mantra as I feed my baby girl and think about all the things I NEED to do.
It's one of FlyLady's major quotes that she wants everyone to live by. It makes sense. I tell my husband (who is currently thinking of nicknames for himself that aren't Dad or Doc) all the time when he stresses out that no matter what, life will continue. If he fails a test, birds will still fly and we will still wake up the next morning (or for me, a few hours after I finally pass out). So if I don't get the house perfectly clean, then the same goes for me. It's my stress.
This is not an excuse. I know that if I just let everything be, it gets nasty and quickly in my house. I look back on the days when I vacuumed every other day and I was so bored that I took up knitting to fill my time and keep my hands busy. I miss my needles!
However, it is something I need to remind myself when days like today happen. I didn't eat any actual meal. I snacked and heated up things in the microwave because every time I went to do something without taking my baby girl with me, she let me know that she was not going to have it. She's seems to be a lot more needy the last two or three days. I think her teeth might be cutting or she's having a growth spurt.
But now she is finally asleep and I am taking a break from cleaning. I have tons more to do, but I switched out the loads, washed three trash cans, folded and put away laundry, and attended the dogs needs.
As a Monday, today I should have spent an hour vacuuming, sweeping and mopping, and doing some other things; but it didn't get done. And Tuesday will still happen. Well, it is happening now, but in my world where it seems like someone always wakes up and needs Mama for something, I find that the day I woke up to exists until I actually go to bed, even if it is after rocking my baby girl to sleep finally at 5 in the morning and my husband is waking up to study real quick before going in to school.
Life will be much, much easier when we aren't so busy in our separate lives living in the same little house.
Okay, off to do one more chore and hopefully those diapers will be ready to go in the dryer.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Princess-Free Zone?
Okay, so on Cafemom, there have been a few moms out there who have been going stir crazy with this whole girly line of Lego's. Of course, in the responses to the posts, there have been moms who say they love it or they wish they had it when a long time ago...
Where do you stand?
My house has never really been princess-free. My daughter is only 4 months old and we bought princess stuff before she was born. I didn't go full out and stuff, but we got the Disney Princess bed set as the back up bed set for the crib. You know, for those nights her diaper overflows or whatever. It doesn't have the actual princesses, but it has the castle and the pumpkin chariot and whatnot.
But even before that, we bought my son princess stuff. Okay, don't yell at me. You have your own kids. First I bought my favorite princess movie. Then Walmart stopped carrying hot wheels by it's check out so when he got his prize, he had to pick from what they had and they had these tiny princess dolls he wanted about the size of the military men we got for him. It was perfect. Besides, we all know that little boys play with their sisters toys anyway (my brothers played with mine when they were really little) and visa versa. According to my mom, "The heroes need someone to save, so why not?"
Now, my daughter already has toys in her room that are above her age range that she can play with once she starts crawling that are hand-me downs from her brother. She's got the fisher price tool set and the boy version of a few leap frog toys. So what's it really matter if the toy is blue or pink? They do the same thing. So long as it is the same price, it doesn't bother me.
Will we buy her pink Lego's? Sure, why not? She'll be getting her big brothers Lego's once he not longer plays with them anyway. I don't know if I will add to her big Lego's (those massive ones for toddlers) since Elliott never seemed to need more. I think instead I'll get those blocks that look like bricks to make forts or whatever.
There are so many toy options. Seriously. It's not like parents can really change a child that much. Yes, a parent can influence a child. But if a girl really wants to be a hairdresser, then she will brush the hair on her dolls and stuffed animals. If a boy really wants to play baby doll, he'll do it with a basketball.
So if a company wants to make pink Lego's, then let them. My kids don't really turn them into what they are supposed to be anyway. My daughter doesn't play with them yet (she's only four months, she's got a lot of time before she gets to play with the normal ones) and my son turns them all into space ships or guns.
So I am not anti-pink. I'm not all for doing everything pink either. Personally, I prefer purples and blues. However, I am all for letting kids be kids and run with their imagination.
By the way, as a kid, I totally would have begged my parents to get me the pink ones. They wouldn't have been making hair dresser places. They would have been pink, purple, and yellow houses. Or the tallest pink tower I could build before it fell over. That's what I did with my Lego's anyway.
Where do you stand?
My house has never really been princess-free. My daughter is only 4 months old and we bought princess stuff before she was born. I didn't go full out and stuff, but we got the Disney Princess bed set as the back up bed set for the crib. You know, for those nights her diaper overflows or whatever. It doesn't have the actual princesses, but it has the castle and the pumpkin chariot and whatnot.
But even before that, we bought my son princess stuff. Okay, don't yell at me. You have your own kids. First I bought my favorite princess movie. Then Walmart stopped carrying hot wheels by it's check out so when he got his prize, he had to pick from what they had and they had these tiny princess dolls he wanted about the size of the military men we got for him. It was perfect. Besides, we all know that little boys play with their sisters toys anyway (my brothers played with mine when they were really little) and visa versa. According to my mom, "The heroes need someone to save, so why not?"
Now, my daughter already has toys in her room that are above her age range that she can play with once she starts crawling that are hand-me downs from her brother. She's got the fisher price tool set and the boy version of a few leap frog toys. So what's it really matter if the toy is blue or pink? They do the same thing. So long as it is the same price, it doesn't bother me.
Will we buy her pink Lego's? Sure, why not? She'll be getting her big brothers Lego's once he not longer plays with them anyway. I don't know if I will add to her big Lego's (those massive ones for toddlers) since Elliott never seemed to need more. I think instead I'll get those blocks that look like bricks to make forts or whatever.
There are so many toy options. Seriously. It's not like parents can really change a child that much. Yes, a parent can influence a child. But if a girl really wants to be a hairdresser, then she will brush the hair on her dolls and stuffed animals. If a boy really wants to play baby doll, he'll do it with a basketball.
So if a company wants to make pink Lego's, then let them. My kids don't really turn them into what they are supposed to be anyway. My daughter doesn't play with them yet (she's only four months, she's got a lot of time before she gets to play with the normal ones) and my son turns them all into space ships or guns.
So I am not anti-pink. I'm not all for doing everything pink either. Personally, I prefer purples and blues. However, I am all for letting kids be kids and run with their imagination.
By the way, as a kid, I totally would have begged my parents to get me the pink ones. They wouldn't have been making hair dresser places. They would have been pink, purple, and yellow houses. Or the tallest pink tower I could build before it fell over. That's what I did with my Lego's anyway.
Friday, January 6, 2012
It's Not Perfect
My house that is. It's no where near perfect. In fact, all the cleaning I did earlier seems to be undone. However, I am at total peace right now. It may be the fact that I haven't slept yet due to the baby refusing to sleep but I prefer to believe that it's the fact that I did what I set out to do.
I am terrible at keeping up with my e-mail. I can see how some people think that having two accounts makes things easier... I really don't see it. I have a total of three e-mail accounts. Yes, you did read that right. I have the one I opened shortly after I married when I forgot the password account to my first e-mail and I still use that one daily. I have the one that my last cell phone insisted I needed when I turned it on since it was a Google phone therefore I needed a gmail account. I can't for the life of me remember why I have a third one. It seemed like a good idea at the time I guess. Back to my point: I now ask for the updates from everything I sign up for. This way I get freebies and coupons and I know what sales are going on. Awesome. Anyway, Flylady sends out several e-mails a day. I read each and every one.
Today, I did what every single e-mail told me to. I swept my front porch, cleaned my front door (I had never thought of that before), I de-cluttered for 5 minutes...
I am excited to start working on my control journal. Well, excited and anxious since my perfectionist parts are coming out and telling me that I have to do this and that first, but I will try as hard as I can to get one section done today whether it is perfect or not and I can make tweaks as they arise.
Though I don't think I'll call it a control journal. I think I'll call it "The Book" like I read in an e-mail today. I think it's a cool name. Reminds me of the crazy boss in "The Devil Wears Heels" and it makes me smile.
I am terrible at keeping up with my e-mail. I can see how some people think that having two accounts makes things easier... I really don't see it. I have a total of three e-mail accounts. Yes, you did read that right. I have the one I opened shortly after I married when I forgot the password account to my first e-mail and I still use that one daily. I have the one that my last cell phone insisted I needed when I turned it on since it was a Google phone therefore I needed a gmail account. I can't for the life of me remember why I have a third one. It seemed like a good idea at the time I guess. Back to my point: I now ask for the updates from everything I sign up for. This way I get freebies and coupons and I know what sales are going on. Awesome. Anyway, Flylady sends out several e-mails a day. I read each and every one.
Today, I did what every single e-mail told me to. I swept my front porch, cleaned my front door (I had never thought of that before), I de-cluttered for 5 minutes...
I am excited to start working on my control journal. Well, excited and anxious since my perfectionist parts are coming out and telling me that I have to do this and that first, but I will try as hard as I can to get one section done today whether it is perfect or not and I can make tweaks as they arise.
Though I don't think I'll call it a control journal. I think I'll call it "The Book" like I read in an e-mail today. I think it's a cool name. Reminds me of the crazy boss in "The Devil Wears Heels" and it makes me smile.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
New Years Resolution
Okay, for those of you who don't know me...
My house is almost always cluttered. I try to keep it clean at least if not neat, but ever since some time in my pregnancy, I basically lost all will to move let alone clean. I gave in to this will, just like the will to eat chocolate, cake, brownies, and all other things unhealthy.
I'm also very moody. My husband laughed while reading "For Men Only" in the part where they say that pushing the same button receives different reactions. He is at least more understanding now of why I am so crazy and I react differently even though he "does the same thing."
I also have this crazy habit of spending all of my husband's hard earned money, though I have gotten a lot better. I saved enough this year to go on not one but two vacations. Albeit, one was to a relatives house where they graciously bought us a few meals (we tried to return the favor by cooking for them, so I hope they enjoyed that) and the other used up most of our savings... But those are the only family vacations we have ever been on and I wouldn't change them for the world.
I also gained a lot of weight. Note the pregnancy and not eating healthy above... Yeah. I'm not ever going to be one of those tiny girls you see on tv, but I know I can be healthier at least.
So, my New Years Resolution (3 days late, hahahaha) will be to do all those things better.
Yup. I said it.
Now, I discovered this website called FLYlady (google it, it's cool) that seems to be the answer to how I will achieve these goals (or most of them) with a baby who hates to be put down or sitting for longer than 3 minutes and a son who has recently taken up the phrase "I can't do this." and a husband who tries so very hard and is my hero (most of the time) while he works, goes to school, and tries to help me out at home. Oh, and the dogs. My poor dogs. They are forgotten a lot. Not really, but they have not been as spoiled since our baby girl came home.
So, my first entry of the year is my resolutions and it's already late. But that's okay. No one is perfect and I never claimed to be. My husband may say differently, but let's not tell him that I said this online.
So, for tomorrow, or today I guess:
Keep the sink shiny, drink water, organize a little more, snap a little less, eat healthier, move more, and finish those coupons so I can go shopping and get the items before the sales are up.
My house is almost always cluttered. I try to keep it clean at least if not neat, but ever since some time in my pregnancy, I basically lost all will to move let alone clean. I gave in to this will, just like the will to eat chocolate, cake, brownies, and all other things unhealthy.
I'm also very moody. My husband laughed while reading "For Men Only" in the part where they say that pushing the same button receives different reactions. He is at least more understanding now of why I am so crazy and I react differently even though he "does the same thing."
I also have this crazy habit of spending all of my husband's hard earned money, though I have gotten a lot better. I saved enough this year to go on not one but two vacations. Albeit, one was to a relatives house where they graciously bought us a few meals (we tried to return the favor by cooking for them, so I hope they enjoyed that) and the other used up most of our savings... But those are the only family vacations we have ever been on and I wouldn't change them for the world.
I also gained a lot of weight. Note the pregnancy and not eating healthy above... Yeah. I'm not ever going to be one of those tiny girls you see on tv, but I know I can be healthier at least.
So, my New Years Resolution (3 days late, hahahaha) will be to do all those things better.
Yup. I said it.
Now, I discovered this website called FLYlady (google it, it's cool) that seems to be the answer to how I will achieve these goals (or most of them) with a baby who hates to be put down or sitting for longer than 3 minutes and a son who has recently taken up the phrase "I can't do this." and a husband who tries so very hard and is my hero (most of the time) while he works, goes to school, and tries to help me out at home. Oh, and the dogs. My poor dogs. They are forgotten a lot. Not really, but they have not been as spoiled since our baby girl came home.
So, my first entry of the year is my resolutions and it's already late. But that's okay. No one is perfect and I never claimed to be. My husband may say differently, but let's not tell him that I said this online.
So, for tomorrow, or today I guess:
Keep the sink shiny, drink water, organize a little more, snap a little less, eat healthier, move more, and finish those coupons so I can go shopping and get the items before the sales are up.
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